Please give me your details on biking to work

[Lordosis]

Been doing a 19 mi round trip daily for the last 2 weeks. I like it and I'd like to keep it up. Intuitively I would think that I would drop weight, but my weight on average has inched up a pound or two, but definitely no weight loss. Any other bikers experience this?

Whenever I gain weight I just convince myself that it is muscle. :P

I seriously want to start doing this as well. Since this thread was started I have gotten prepared but it has been snowing or raining every day.

[burritos]

Whenever I gain weight I just convince myself that it is muscle. :P

I seriously want to start doing this as well. Since this thread was started I have gotten prepared but it has been snowing or raining every day.

I can accept that. If I'm still biking by the time weather becomes an issue, I'm wondering if I'll have the mental fortitude to pedal through wetness.

[ChicSkiier]

I don't bike to work but love biking. Have you thought about an electric bike? I've been checking out Rad power bikes and they have a great price point of around $1400-1600 for e-bike. I was showing my husband the rad runner plus (coming out July) that will have suspension, capability to hold stuff and go 20-45+ miles roughly on a charge with removable battery for charging at work if needed (should remove anyways to avoid theft). Rad power bikes are only sold online (ship from Seattle) and is offering $200 discount for HCW. The rad power bike wagon and runner plus has pedal assist (level 1-5) and throttle (like moped/motorcycle) to help out with hills, starting up, etc. The Rad power has some bikes that are "step thru" and very easy to get on/off. Can attach bag (store clothes/shoes) on side of bike rack (they sell separately). I was able to test ride the wagon at a bike rental shop.

[resident_1]

Biking is excellent. But I think majority of US roads are not designed for bikes at all. In our city there "bike lanes" but plenty of people are hit and killed either way.
I think for physicians (particularly with kids) its too dangerous to be out there on the road.
In rare cases its even worse (TX physician who was shot by son of former patient: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...while-on-bike/)

[Lordosis]

Biking is excellent. But I think majority of US roads are not designed for bikes at all. In our city there "bike lanes" but plenty of people are hit and killed either way.
I think for physicians (particularly with kids) its too dangerous to be out there on the road.
In rare cases its even worse (TX physician who was shot by son of former patient: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...while-on-bike/)

I do not think driving would have saved the doctor in the article.

Injury from MVA is a good point. I wonder if there is any data showing if you are more or less likely to get hurt on a bike or car.

[mianesmd]

I bike to work 1-2 days a week about 11 miles one-way mostly on a road that is 35 mph that a lot of cyclists use...I've always felt pretty safe and it doesn't add that much time to my commute. I'd say at least 10-20% of our department cycles to work at least occasionally.

[burritos]

I bike to work 1-2 days a week about 11 miles one-way mostly on a road that is 35 mph that a lot of cyclists use...I've always felt pretty safe and it doesn't add that much time to my commute. I'd say at least 10-20% of our department cycles to work at least occasionally.

What city is this? What kind of bike. Do you use Strava or any GPS tracking app?

[Marko-ER]

3.4 miles each way, mostly flat but 600 feet elevation (8-10% grade) right at the outset before heading down into the river valley (unfortunately that means a stiff climb on the way back from work). Nice warm weather = gravel bike with panniers. Crappy weather or feeling tired = ebike. I also commute by bike 3 out of 4 seasons a year (mid-April to late October), saving about 700+ miles each year of wear & tear on the car. Hence an 11 yo Honda with less than 85K miles.

[burritos]

Biking is excellent. But I think majority of US roads are not designed for bikes at all. In our city there "bike lanes" but plenty of people are hit and killed either way.
I think for physicians (particularly with kids) its too dangerous to be out there on the road.
In rare cases its even worse (TX physician who was shot by son of former patient: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...while-on-bike/)

Old article but it may be helpful to put into perspective in terms of danger: https://convertbike.blogspot.com/200...nd-safety.html

The fatality rate for every million hours spent cycling is 0.26, compared to 0.47 per million driving hours (on-road motorcycling comes in at a whopping 8.80 deaths per million motorcycling hours). For every million cyclists in the US, 16.5 die each year, whereas for every million motorists, 19.9 die each year.

This doesn't include all cause mortality which biking will help metabolically, while driving probably does not. Also, if you care about health from a statistical pov, don't motorcycle.

[CrockettsRiver]

Safety depends so much on the roads. I’ve always felt safe on my commutes but wouldn’t bike if it included roads with curves, no shoulder etc.

In addition to lights front and back, get spoke lights to make you visible from the side. I prefer spoke lights to a single light because they make it really obvious that you are a bike, not, say, a pedestrian. And low-light conditions are just as dangerous as nighttime, if not more so, so get all the day-glo wet weather gear you can. Fluorescent helmet cover, etc. The goal is an outfit that would embarrass your teenager (if you have one).

[mianesmd]

What city is this? What kind of bike. Do you use Strava or any GPS tracking app?

SE Michigan. Cannondale CAAD 12. Yes I have a Garmin that syncs to my Strava account afterwards. Sometimes I add 15-30 extra minutes around town/campus to make it a complete workout for tri training.

[fatlittlepig]

I don't bike to work but love biking. Have you thought about an electric bike? I've been checking out Rad power bikes and they have a great price point of around $1400-1600 for e-bike. I was showing my husband the rad runner plus (coming out July) that will have suspension, capability to hold stuff and go 20-45+ miles roughly on a charge with removable battery for charging at work if needed (should remove anyways to avoid theft). Rad power bikes are only sold online (ship from Seattle) and is offering $200 discount for HCW. The rad power bike wagon and runner plus has pedal assist (level 1-5) and throttle (like moped/motorcycle) to help out with hills, starting up, etc. The Rad power has some bikes that are "step thru" and very easy to get on/off. Can attach bag (store clothes/shoes) on side of bike rack (they sell separately). I was able to test ride the wagon at a bike rental shop.

I have the rad runner. Good bike, e-bike is the way to go.

[burritos]

I don't bike to work but love biking. Have you thought about an electric bike? I've been checking out Rad power bikes and they have a great price point of around $1400-1600 for e-bike. I was showing my husband the rad runner plus (coming out July) that will have suspension, capability to hold stuff and go 20-45+ miles roughly on a charge with removable battery for charging at work if needed (should remove anyways to avoid theft). Rad power bikes are only sold online (ship from Seattle) and is offering $200 discount for HCW. The rad power bike wagon and runner plus has pedal assist (level 1-5) and throttle (like moped/motorcycle) to help out with hills, starting up, etc. The Rad power has some bikes that are "step thru" and very easy to get on/off. Can attach bag (store clothes/shoes) on side of bike rack (they sell separately). I was able to test ride the wagon at a bike rental shop.

I've always been a mountain biker. However, I did get a decent lemond roadbike in 2006 during my short stint in triathlons. It's been sitting idle for well over 13 years. My first commute attempt was on my MTB and it took about an hour. Then I tried my road bike, it took 40 min, so compared to my mountain bike, it flies. So since I don't want to outlay more money for something I may not do regularly or indefinitely, I'm going to give my road bike a good long try.

[Tim]

Biking is excellent. But I think majority of US roads are not designed for bikes at all. In our city there "bike lanes" but plenty of people are hit and killed either way.
I think for physicians (particularly with kids) its too dangerous to be out there on the road.
In rare cases its even worse (TX physician who was shot by son of former patient: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...while-on-bike/)

Most of our cities roadways weren’t designed to accommodate bikes. Urban planners opted originally for a “sharing” concept. Paint doesn’t really work or provide protection. Problems with bikes failing to yield and hopping between vehicle rules and pedestrians rules is a mess in a “shared” concept. The bike always loses.
True separate bike lanes are beginning to appear. Best answer but difficult to retrofit.
The incident in the article had zero to do with transportation or urban planning.

Had the opportunity to visit Boston. Bikes “own” the road in the medical area. No rules and go where and when they want. Of course you only drive if you must. In suburbs, bikes are fine. Statistic wise, I would consider serious injuries as well as fatalities as being a relevant safety metric. Separate bike paths and lanes is my preferred solution.

[ChicSkiier]

I have the rad runner. Good bike, e-bike is the way to go.

Good to hear. What lock(s) did you get for your ebike? Looking at ABUS and kryptonite u locks.

We plan to demo the rad runner and rad city step thru but I think we are leaning towards rad runner plus (when it comes out in July) if we like the rad runner. Getting the rad wagon now so I can haul two little kids around to the beach or anywhere beyond a 2 mile radius (have a big hill just to get to the beach, not sure what grade but it would be a workout even without the kiddos).